Improvement in methods of preserving fruit



putrefactiouand fermentatiob, V I 'greatfavidity allv gaseous emanations and moisture,

GEORGE AQU so nos'ron, MASSACHUSETTS.

" LettersPatent u or esa dated September 27, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN METHODSOF PRESERVING FRUIT,

The Schedule referrec'i to in these Letters Patent-and making part of the same. 7 I

it To all when 'it may concern:

I Be it. known ,;that I, GEORGE IJAQUES', of. Boston, iatne countyofiSnfiollr and Commonwealth of Massachusettgl invented a new and improved Process of Prese mg Fruits from Decay {and 'I do here: y declare that jthe-following is a full and exact doscription thereofl'y; g a I My inventionfisffounded upon the recent discovery in, vegetable,physiology, that the rotting of fruits is produced:by fiingoid,vegetation, and that if the spores of suchffungtcanxtbe' prevented from-germinating or growirig,the fi'uit can be preserved from decay'fin' an indefinitepcriod; a I

l I he drsjcoveredthzttsulphur, in its pure or uncombined tbrm, possesses, the} property of preventing theygrowth-offungoid' vegetation and arresting fer lnentation and 11 believe myself to be the, first dis: coverer of this property of sulphur-Q r Myinvention consists inthe application of this discovery for-the purpose of preserving fruit, by preventing the' growth'fof fungoid vegetation and arresting fermentation and decay, by, means of methods the same, or; substantially the same, as those hereinafter set forth, or by any other equivalent methods, which i embody the practical application of the discovery I have Imadc; t My'method consists ineither packingthe fruit which it is desired to preservein layers of pulverized sulphur; or in rolling the fruit in such powder, and

then packing it'in paper; or in putting the flowers of sulphur or pulverized sulphurint'o papers in whichthe fruit is enveloped; or in sulplmrizing the interior 1ofboxcs, casks, or other packages in whiclrthefrfiit' isto 'be keptor transported; either by smearing their interior with-pulverized sulphur or flowers of sulphur; or by painting the interior of such boxes, casks, or packages, with su'lphurin agmelted state, or by con- (lensing the vapor 'of sulphur on the interior of such casks, boxes, orpackag'es.

The sulphur-alone, applied in any of the modes above described, will befouud efiieient for preserving the fruit from decay; butI find it more advantageous to mix the flowers of sulphurwith charcoal produced from-cork, or" the charcoal produced from any light .poious woodor otnervegetablc matters, such as peat,

the fcharcoal acting as an antiseptic, preventing and absorbing with and thus co-operating with the sulphur in keeping the fruitclear from matter that would engender fermenta tion and promote the growth of parasitic funguses.

Although I may use sulphur alone in anyof the modes above specified, or sulphur mixed with any form of charcoal, the'process which I, prefer is, pack-" ing the fruit, in either of the modes mentioned above, with pulverized sulphur, mixed withpulverized-char coal produced from cork.

This process of preserving. fruit is specially applicable to oranges, limes, lemons, {and othet perishable fruits; and it Tnay also be applied to the preservation of grapes, apples, pears, plums, and even to potatoes, turnips, and other vegetables. 'The pulverized sul-- phur, the sulphur mixed withpulverlzed cork, charcoal, or citheror both of these substances, mixed with pulverized cork or with dry sawdust, for purposes ofeconomy, may be usedin packing grapes and other fruit, and will prevent their decay. Peaches, if I first wrapped in paper, may also be preventedfrom decaymg by packing them in sulphur, or in snlphur I and charcoal, the paper keeping the powdered 'sulg phur from becoming attached to the skin of the fruit. 1 The sulphur may'also be applied,though with less, advantage, when'mlxed with any vegetable chaff, or, is any finely-divided dry vegetable material.

by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

What I claim as my Invention, and desire tosecure 1. The method of preserving fruit by means oi'sul-' phur in its pure or uncombincd form, substantially as described.

2. 'The method of preserving fruit by'means of sulphur in a pulve'rulent form, substantially as described.

3. The method of preserving fruit by means of pulverized sulphur and pulverized charcoal, combined substantially as described.

4. The method of preserving fruit by means of pulverized sulphur and pulverized cork, or any finely-(1ivided' dry vegetable material, combined substantially as described.

' 5. A box, cask, or any other .receptacle for fruit, coated on its inner surface with sulphur, or impregnated with the samc,as and for the purpose setfortl'l. v

GEORGE JA uus.

Witnesses I :.-WILLIAM A. HAYas,J'i-.=,

. I); 16.0mm, 

